Sudan diplomatic support not dependent on withdrawal of Ugandan troops: Juba

April 7, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s government denied on Monday that the Sudanese government had preconditioned diplomatic support to Juba with the withdrawal of Ugandan forces from the war-torn country.

The denial comes after president Salva Kiir made a one-day visit to Khartoum on Saturday to meet his Sudanese counterpart Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to discuss bilateral relations and security issues.

South Sudan separated from Sudan in 2011 as part of a six-year peace process, but for the last 15 weeks the army and ruling party of the young nation (SPLM) have been divided after an alleged coup attempt in December

Relations between the two Sudans have been strained since separation over oil transit fees, disputed border areas and security issues, but relations have improved over the past year after oil production resumed.

Khartoum, which has long had uneasy relations with Kampala, is reportedly unhappy about the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan. The Ugandan army intervened in the conflict taking the side of the government against the rebels who split from the army (SPLA) and the SPLM.

“The visit was a response to the invitation which president Bashir in January extended to our president. It could have occurred [a] long time ago but it was delayed because the president was attending to other important issues,” South Sudan’s deputy foreign affairs minister, Peter Bashir Gbandi, said on Monday. .

“The two leaders exchanged views on how they could work together to strengthen bilateral relations, especially mechanisms related to cooperation agreement,” he added.

Gbandi denied that Sudanese government had demanded withdrawal of the Ugandan troops from his country so that the former could provide diplomatic support against the participation of seven senior SPLM officials who Juba do not want to participate in the peace talks.

The seven SPLM figures were arrested in December accused of planning a coup against Kiir’s government. All those arrested deny the charges and were released to Kenya before travelling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the faltering negotiations talks are taking place.

Juba insists that only the armed parties to the conflict - the government and the rebels led by former vice-president Riek Machar - have a place at the negotiating table.

Gbandi categorically denied that Khartoum had placed Uganda’s withdrawal as a condition for supporting Juba’s stance that the seven SPLM officials should not be part of the peace process.

Sudan and South Sudan are both members of IGAD the East African regional body leading the mediation attempt.

President Bashir said Kiir discussed “cooperation between the two countries for achieving peace and security,” Gbandi said, referring to the many issues that remain outstanding from Sudan and South Sudan’s split.

President Kiir said that he and his host had agreed on “mechanisms to implement the agreements” his country had signed with the former. The two sides last year signed a number of deals that addressed issues of border trade, security arrangements and oil sharing.

They also agreed to avoid hosting any of the other nation’s rebel groups.

Kiir said he would come back to Khartoum soon for further meetings with other Sudanese officials.

However, reports emerged later that the two leaders had issues they could not reach consensus on, resulting in the failure to issue a communiqué on the details of what they discussed behind closes doors before addressing a joint meeting.

A senior diplomat at the South Sudanese ministry of foreign affairs told Sudan Tribune on Monday that his country’s “relations with Sudan are improving”.

Increased stability around border areas are the “result of the exchange visits to promote dialogue between the two countries so that issues which are still pending are resolved amicably,” he said.

The recent visit “was also meant to solicit support and the role the Sudanese government can play in the current peace talks, especially in the upcoming extraordinary summit of the heads of state and governments of the IGAD member countries,” the senior diplomat said.

President Kiir went “to solicit support of the Sudanese government on two issues: temporary deployment of joint forces along the border areas and diplomatic support on the issue of the participation of the seven officials in the peace talks as [a] third party” to the negotiations, the diplomat said.

“President Bashir expressed the desire of his government to provide support, but emphasised that security talks must be completed so that the central line is demarcated if joint forces are to be deployed along the border. He also expressed concerns by IGAD member countries which call for withdrawal of Ugandan troops in the country, ” said the diplomat.

The Sudanese president “did not make it conditions for support” he claimed, but added that there are “indications that Sudan attaches some conditions for playing any role in favour of the government” in Juba.

The issue of Abyei, the main disputed area on the border was not discussed, according to the diplomatic source.

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8 April 2014 06:04, by Jubawe

Leaking news, President Kirr and Bashir failed to agree in closed door meeting, Kirr ask Bashir to back him send army to South Sudan on oil field, airport and on the Ethiopian borders but Bashir impossible demand Uganda to withdraw from South Sudan and release of 4 detainees to join Ethiopia talk but Kirr refuse to agree with Bashir.

I really don’t know why everywhere our leader visit no one support or believe them, no single country stand behind them accept Uganda, our Government turn our identities down, no countries respect our leaders any more, Kirr visited Khartoum, arabic respect our oil but not the government, I see them as uneducated, village people and not wise leaders, is good that our Greater Equatorial leader worki

I really don’t know why everywhere our leader visit no one support or believe them, no single country stand behind them accept Uganda, our Government turn our identities down, no countries respect our leaders any more, Kirr visited Khartoum, arabic respect our oil but not the government, I see them as uneducated, village people and not wise leaders, is good that our Greater Equatorial leader worki

Our Greater Equatorial leader demand government either solve this conflict or they split from South Sudan, because these two will none stop fighting, South Sudan will never be stable because the two tribes elders are preaching war language unforgivable.

Ya Jubwa you should have to be pacific, just said i have taken side as you already did. Do not generalist Equatorian into your coward and stupid comments. Who cares if you takes side? You have been between Uganda, Kenya and Congo during struggle and now claim to be South Sudan when there is no war, but it now going to be like early years where will you go? We have now known you one by one fool.

The result of Kiir’s begging in Khartoum is that SAF forces have bombed the SPLA and Jem in Pariang county of Unity state. Please read radiotamazuj.org report today. It means that Kiir failed to beg Bashir to fight for him alongside SPLA, Uganda army, JEM and SPLA-N at the borders and in oilfields. What a foolish attempt to mix foreign enemies in South Sudan.

Well,Mr. Kiir hired Ugandan troop and Tutsi to repulse any rebellion attack against Bor and Jonglei and protect Juba,hired SPLA-N & JEM to fight rebellion in Unity and Upper Nile areas and now wants to hire SAF to fight rebellion around oil fields and guarantees the continuity of income .. Mr. Kiir is hiring foreign troops to protect his ruling, this is so ridiculous!

Juba is weak enough to defend itself without Ugandan troop, Juba is supposed to be fallen under rebellion hand long time ago if Ugandan troops were not there!
Ugandan troop, SPLA-N, JEM and many Tutsi from eastern Africa will continue to defend Dinka regime, although Dinka always brag about their big number in the south but they turn out to be useless and cowards!

Jallaby Abu Tagiya, do you remember that the SPLM/A who fought all successive Khartoum’s sectarian, racist and terrorist regimes for 21 years was known in Khartoum, Arab and Islamic worlds as a Dinka Movement? You are supposed to tell your fugitive leader to recover the bones of Makh Nimr from Ethiopia and ask him what his granddad was doing there.

Jalaby:
With the exception of Uganda’s veritable involvement in this conflagration, there is no evidence that any other force has taken part in this war. Do you disagree? Provide evidence from a reputable third party that JEM, SPLA-N or any other group has actively involved itself in the war.

Salva Kiir required, solicited and received Uganda’s military assistance primarily because he committed the folly of integrating tens of thousands of Khartoum’s former oilfield guard dogs into the SPLA — to the extent that they greatly and quite obscenely outnumbered the men that actually fought against Khartoum during the war.

The people who actually fought the war against Khartoum largely went home in 2006, because they deemed that they contributed, sacrificed and suffered enough during the war — and on the one (1) year anniversary of this evanescent peace, they graciously permitted the return of Khartoum’s wretched weasels, snakes and dogs.

The Ugandans have provided Salva with the quite unfortunately necessary respite in which to create new battalions and new divisions and to again call upon the men that went home in 2006. Our men are returning to their army... And when new battalions and divisions have been sufficiently conditioned, trained and armed... We will have no need for the Ugandans.

The Ugandans have thus far only provided and deployed three [3] to four [4] battalions in South Sudan... That’s a drop in the ocean when compared with what Khartoum did for the likes of Matip. The Dinka had to contend with an enemy that was well furnished with a palette of destructive weaponry and over 100, 000 men, accompanied by bombers, jets, and helicopter gunships...

..And tens of thousands of aligned militiamen — the PDF and the Murahaleen, and tens of thousands of Khartoum compliant Nuer militiamen. I don’t want foreign intervention of any kind, but if your Nuer friends are going to condemn people and bespatter them with smug charges of cowardice... they should know that we too can dredge up their documented history of forming alliances with Khartoum.

To Mi Diit and others:
You people seem to suffer from some perverse collective amnesia, but don’t worry, I’m here to help. You formed military alliances with Khartoum during the war; an alliance that targeted and absolutely devastated the Dinka!? Why is it that you people feel no shame for this!?

Ah, I get it, the Nuer are entitled to establish military alliances with Khartoum... but you want to condemn the Dinka for establishing a military alliance with a State that actually didn’t murder millions of Southerners!

The Arabs brought entire divisions to bear against the Dinka. The Arabs fought beside you. The Arabs fed you. The Arabs gave you weapons, ammunition and logistical support. Why are you people wholly unwilling to discuss your previous alliance with Khartoum!? You people are hypocrites!

When Khartoum’s aircraft bombed the Dinka for thirteen [13] years following your defection, operating in tandem with your militias on the ground... Was that not cowardice!? Well, wasn’t it!? Or do you suppose that you are entitled to an exemption from the demands of a moral code that you don’t actually prescribe to!?

Allow me to cite for you the work of a historian:
Throughout the fighting, not one war casualty was admitted to the Nasir hospital. Riek’s troops sat idle as Khartoum pushed back the Dinka. The results of Riek’’s sell-out to Khartoum could not have been more glaring. The Dinka suffered mightily. (Me Against My Brother: At War in Somalia, Sudan and Rwanda, Scott Peterson)

Chol A. Jealous Dinka doesn’t have tribes share two countries like Nuer, Acholi etc.. Since when did Equatorian immigrated to Kenya, Uganda and Congo, Look at Dinka still in Nimule, Kakuma camp and Uganda camp, Equatorian never leave their land and immigrate, You should say thanks Equatorian for allow your useless Kirr with tribe hiding in Juba, Chol you are lucky Juba city hide your ass from Nuer

Haaaaa! Jubawe, I believe that you not even born in South Sudan, if you are madi or Acholi you claim to be Uganda, in war time, if you are kakuwa you claim to be either Uganda or Congo during war. If you are Bari or Madari you meant to be militia against Spla a round Juba during war.Now where are you claim yourself to be good contributor to South Sudan Mr. coward and traitor?. Tell me ya fool !!!

The capital City is going to be move from Juba, am wondering where is Dinka,s going to hide from Nuer, big mouth but powerless, Your president Kirr is hiding behind our back, if we turn our back from President which is going to happen soon, where will Dinka go, two option of course, Uganda and Khartoum sleeping under unfinished apartment, you should think twice before create trouble shamefully

Jubawe,
You are correct. Equatoria region has historically been a good hiding place for such Dinka cowards, yet they don’t appreciate your hospitality when it comes to eating. Kiir cannot be safe in Bahr el Gazal region. From Juba he will try to run to Yei. From Yei he will run to Kampala. That is what will happen.

Mi diit:
You are engaging in distortion, as usual. The Dinka that went to Equatoria during the war were unarmed civilians, and they went there primarily [if not solely] because humanitarian centres and efforts were concentrated in Equatoria. Why is it that you seem to want to forget that Riek’s forces were defeated in Equatoria during the war!?

You are known for being a liar. You are guilty of investing in fantasy over fact, when it strokes your embittered and childish bias. Where was our apparent ’cowardice’ when we routed you from our lands and penetrated deep into Uror, Akobo, Nyirol, Yuai and Ayod in the counterattacks of 1992-3-4!?

Were we ’hiding’ when Dinka soldiers under Kuol Manyang’s command defeated Riek’s troops in a large and unforgettable battle at Gut-Makur, a village just outside Mongalla. Riek’s forces were then defeated at Wuor Baar. Our forces then entered Dinka territory at Gem, defeated all opposing forces in Nuer territory at Kuac Deng...

.. With Riek’s forces experiencing defeat after being pursued, hounded and cut down as far as Uror, Akobo, Nyirol, Yuai and Ayod... So by all means take pride in unarmed civilians fleeing military forces, displacing them and characterizing their decision to flee as ’cowardice’, even though your civilians are doing precisely the same thing.

Should that idiot Salva Kiir ever feel the need to go to Bahr el Ghazal, his safety will be as equally assured as the fact that the sun rises in the East. He has absolutely no need to doubt people that can lose a million of their own and still fight on; people that stayed on for the whole duration of the war — never oscillating between the enemy and their homeland.

Ya jubawe, tell the idiot again. To tell you the truth man, that’s all what the Dinka says and the only thing they can say. I pity the doggy behaviour this people have . Like this chol guy shorten his name to an "A’ instead of writing in full as Ahmed Chol (an Arab-Dinka high bread ) who have never fought the war claiming to know it all just because he has a Dinka mother and an Midle Eastern dad

Hmmm! Joseph Canada or Slave in Canada, please as you sound like Nuer. you are type of the guys who hit SPLA back, as far as I know most of your community will suffer with cancer of shame among south Sudanese tribes though the peace return. you betray the best leaders of tomorrow from Nuer community because many tribe know you as fool and trouble some tribe even if one educated. shame on you.

Nonsense, Nuer knows very well were Dinka are even Kiir state where they loot and run.Please present of Dinka in Juba does not mean hiding from Nuer, it because there are no barrier within south Sudan but selfish and fool like you can put it that way. If city move are Equatorian not going to be there? your own people don’t want the idea of moving the city but it will be happen very soon.

Chol, 21 years in bush as a gorilla you been dreaming just yo see Juba, 1992 when Equatorian made a coup in Juba against Bashir and allow SPLA to enter Juba and you guys lost within Juba because of houses light everywhere in Juba, SPLM couldn’t see well finish the operation and after blaming Dr Riak split from SPLM, without Equatorian and Nuer rejoin SPLM in 1992 SPLM already finish hides in Torit

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